marvin8 wrote:origami_itto wrote:marvin8 wrote:Exactly. Tai chi classics, "If the opponent does not move, I do not move. If the opponent moves, I am already there." "Position before submission." Zhang Yun, "One common mistake for many people is that they try to use fa jin too directly...."
In a self defense context, the game is completely different. Winning is surviving with as little damage as possible. You want to minimize contact and struggle. Best case scenario they change their mind and walk off. You don't want to appear to be an aggressor in the eyes of bystanders, cameras, or the law, or even your opponent if you can help it.
So facing an enemy in self defense, you don't need to attack, you don't want to attack. Focus purely on reading their intention and countering. When they move to attack you, they will expose something, exploit that. If they don't move to attack you, great, you won. Get on about your business. But if they do attack, because you spend hours every day maximizing the efficiency of your movement and focus you can read their intention at any number of points from impulse to action and respond intelligently to it.
This simple adjustment in outlook and focus can save a massive amount of energy and drastically increase your combat efficacy IMHO. If nothing else it helps reduce the number of variables you have to work with.
Not sure the question. I don't see that much difference. Yin, ting, na, fa. peng, lu, ji, etc. works in the ring, as well as the street. The process is the same. But in the street, you don't want to appear to be making the first move.
I mean that not only do you not want to appear to be making the first move, you don't even need to worry about the first move. That whole area of combat can be discarded from your concern. Just sit and wait for them to open themselves up.